Most people don't often associate college campus food with being healthy. But it can be! For a lot of college students, that second cone of frozen yogurt from Popovich Hall or that 5th slice of pizza from Cafe 84 sounds pretty appealing. That can be fun for a while, but once clothes stop fitting and a new wardrobe a few sizes bigger is in order, the fun certainly stops.
USC has a lot of food venues on campus, and a lot of both healthy and unhealthy options. It's really all about what you choose. In this post the healthiest options from USC food locations will be revealed. So dig in!
There's a-Lot to Choose from at The Lot
Since The Lot is the newest dining addition to USC's food options, we've decided to take a closer look at it and everything it offers. The newly constructed Lot offers a lot of food, some healthy, some not so much. Luckily The Lot offers a-Lot of options, so its pretty easy to choose something delicious and nutritious.
- From Wolfgang Puck, choose one of the pre-made salads (but watch the dressing-they can often be loaded with calories) or the roast chicken with a side of veggies.
- Healthy food isn't usually what one thinks of when they think of Baja Fresh, but it's all about what you choose. They have a great chicken salad (skip the tortilla crisps) with salsa as dressing, or you can opt for some grilled soft tacos. If a burrito is what you're craving, try to avoid extra guacamole, sour cream, and cheese.
- Everyone (well, at least I do) loves frozen yogurt, and Red Mango is a healthy option to still fix that craving for sweets. Just because its on the healthier side of frozen delights doesn't mean you can go crazy. Try to choose the fresh fruit for your toppings, and stick to a small.
- One of the keys to healthy eating is a balanced meal with proteins, carbs, and fats. One of the best places to get all three (especially from The Lot) is Submarina. Whole wheat bread is your best option, and be sure to choose lean proteins (like turkey) with tons of fresh veggies. Add some avocado to make sure you get good fats as well.
- It may be harder to find something super healthy at Zao Noodle Bar, as most options are stir fried or cooked in a wok with lots of oil. Try asking for your food to be prepared with less oil than usual, and make sure whatever you get includes lots of veggies and some good protein like chicken or shrimp.
A Fancier Name and Food Just as Delicious
Cafe 84:
Like The Lot, Cafe 84 gives students a pretty good variety of food to choose from. Again, it can be easy to give in and choose some of the more unhealthy (or really unhealthy) options that Cafe 84 also has.
- One may think its hard to go wrong when drinking healthy smoothies, but Jamba Juice proves that thought incorrect. Stay away from anything with the word "moo" in the title, and opt instead for the smoothies that use mostly fruit and not juice or yogurt. We've also just learned that Jamba Juice has a secret menu (like In and Out), and though they all sound delicious, they also sound quite disastrous for the waist line.
- Just like Jamba Juice, it's easy for the calories from Wok Crazy to add up. The best way to go (and still get deliciousness) is to opt for a bunch of different fresh vegetables wok fried (ask for light oil) with a side of steamed rice. It may not be the same as fried rice with tons of oil, but its still delicious! (I promise)
- Right next to Wok Crazy is The Grill, and like the name suggests it offers all different types of grilled food. Though the grilled cheese with french fries always sounds good, opt instead for a grilled chicken sandwich or even a hamburger. For a good side dish to replace those fries, head right next door to the salad bar, offering everything one could want in a delicious salad.
- The newest addition to Cafe 84 is Wahoo's Fish Tacos. Though it offers great healthy foods like grilled fish, chicken, and veggies, the rice, beans, sour cream, and guacamole on hand can turn your healthy meal very unhealthy very fast. Use only a little bit of those additions and you can be sure to have a healthy and very delicious meal.
On-Campus Cafes:
The Lot and Cafe 84 are the two big non-dining hall food options at USC, but they are certainly not the only ones. Many of the colleges around campus have their own dining areas, and the two main coffee houses (Trojan Grounds and LiteraTea) also have some great food. If you're looking for something faster, check out these locations throughout campus:
- The Gould School of Law has its own cafe, offering sandwiches, organic snacks, salads, and cool and refreshing drinks to hungry students on the go.
- Trojan Grounds and LiteraTea also offer delicious organic salads, sandwiches, and wraps. Fruit salad is also available, as are bags of trail mix, granola bars, and fresh whole fruit like apples and bananas
- The Marshall School of Business also has its own cafe located in Popovich Hall. Here you can find fresh made salads, delicious paninis, and wraps. There is a special salad and panini each day, with some salads and sandwiches always on offer. If you're looking for something fast, fresh, and healthy, definitely stop by Popovich.
- Not to be left out, The Viterbi School of Engineering also has its own cafe complete with outdoor seating at Tutor Hall. Similar to the food offered at Popovich, expect to find salads, sandwiches, and a rather tempting dessert display.
If you can't seem to tear yourself away from your school books and need USC food delivered to you, then USC Room Service is the place for you! Students can get fruit, sushi, sandwiches, salads delivered right to their dorm rooms. The only downside is that a lot of the food available is only for large groups and gatherings (great for study groups!) Don't be discouraged from using this service though, because there are still great individual offerings. But stay away from those individual slices of cheesecake!
Still worried about what you're eating is really healthy? Well good news! Trojan Hospitality has just announced on their website that nutritional information will soon be provided! Check out what they had to say:
"Beginning in the late-fall 2008, USC Hospitality will be posting the nutrition information here for each menu item we serve. We will include the following information: calories, saturated fat, trans fat, carbohydrates, sodium, and protein. We are now doing research and working with our franchise partners to obtain this information. We anticipate that we will be able to begin posting information as early as November"
